The AKC Canine Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing, treating, and curing diseases in all dogs, has received the coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest and most-utilized independent evaluator of charities.

The rating reflects the Foundation’s sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency.

“Our hard-working staff, Board of Directors, corporate alliances, researchers, veterinarians, dog clubs, partners, and volunteers contributing to the Foundation’s accomplishments don’t do what they do for the glory, they are truly dedicated to improving canine health. Their efforts, reflected by Charity Navigator’s highest rating, are important aspects of the reason thousands of donors across the world feel confident in supporting our mission,” Susan Lilly, Canine Health Foundation CEO, said.

Charity Navigator works to help donors make educated giving decisions by providing information on more than five thousand charities nationwide and by evaluating their financial health. It calculates each charity’s score based upon several broad criteria, including how much is spent per dollar raised, what percentage of funds goes to programs vs. administrative and fund-raising expenses, and the organization’s long-term financial health. It then assigns a rating from one to four, with four being the best rating.

Receiving four out of a possible four stars indicates that the Canine Health Foundation adheres to good governance and other best practices that minimize the chance of unethical activities and consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way.

This is the third consecutive year the Foundation has received a 4-star rating.

“Only 12 percent of the charities rated by Charity Navigator have received at least three consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that the AKC Canine Health Foundation outperforms most other charities in America,” said Charity Navigator Founder and Chairman of the Board John P. Dugan.

“This ‘exceptional’ designation from Charity Navigator differentiates the Foundation from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust,” he added.

The AKC Canine Health Foundation bridges the gap between veterinary research and dog lovers by raising funds to support over $1 million per year in new canine health research grants regardless of breed. This research has led to numerous breakthroughs in disease prevention and treatment in the areas of behavior, epilepsy, cancer, cardiology, musculoskeletal injuries and disease, and bloat, among others. Currently, over 100 active research projects are being supported by funds raised by the Foundation from corporate donors, dog clubs, and dog lovers throughout the world.

The organization continues to leverage the power of science and research to provide reliable, trustworthy canine health resources, marking Pet Cancer Awareness Month in May with podcasts, webinars, and other helpful information on different types of cancer and the search for cures available throughout the month on the easy-to-use website www.akcchf.org/caninecancer.

Donations to support the Foundation’s canine health research can be made by calling 1-888-682-9696 or visiting the AKC Canine Health Foundation website www.akcchf.org/donate.